The present invention relates generally to the technical field of dentistry and more particularly to an inflatable dental implant installed into a patient's jaw to support a dental prosthesis. Currently, the dental restoration of a patient who has experienced tooth loss is generally accomplished in a two stage process. In the first stage, an artificial dental implant is implanted into the patient's jawbone for future receipt of a dental prosthesis. This implantation is achieved by cutting the gingiva, exposing the bone, drilling a hole within the bone, and inserting the implant. The artificial implant is left in the jawbone for an extended period of time, while the implant integrates into the bone to form a stable attachment surface. Upon stable integration, a second stage is begun which involves the attachment of a prosthesis to the stable artificial implant. The stage begins with oral surgery to reaccess the implant through the gum, followed by the fabrication of restorative dentition, to build and maintain a prosthesis or artificial tooth which is permanently attached to the implant and within the mouth.
In the present state of the art, most dental implants can not immediately accept functional loading, i.e. the forces exerted upon a dental implant when the patient is chewing food. As a result, when using such implants, as much time as six months may elapse between the installation of the implant into a patient's jaw and the subsequent installation of the prosthesis. During this extended interval of time between implant installation and prosthesis installation, bone will regrow around and into an initially loose implant until that implant becomes firmly fixed within the jaw. Once the implant is firmly fixed, the prosthesis can be installed. Installation of the prosthesis after this long period of time requires a second surgery to expose the head of the implant and thereby allow the prosthesis to be attached.
Accordingly, there is a significant need within the art for a dental implant which will immediately accept functional loading. In addition, it is also highly advantageous, and a need within the art, to provide a dental implant which will allow minimal gingival trauma during implant insertion, without the need for large diameter bone drilling to accept the implant diameter.